In the absence of any kind of official means for the DRSG to decide on a player of the year, we instead bring you a season review in which every player will be judged. It might not be pretty…
Goalkeepers
Thorsten Stuckmann
Appearances: 43
Clean Sheets: 9
Before the sacking of Paul Dickov, when Rovers barely looked like a football team, Stuckmann was consistently Rovers best player. Had we still had someone like Gary Woods in goal we could easily have been cut adrift a lot earlier.
The 35 year old came highly thought of at Preston and until high profile mistakes against Shrewsbury and Peterborough he was a shoo in for player of the season. Remi Matthews came in, Rovers promptly lost 4-1 at Colchester and the rest is history.
Season Rating: 7/10
Should we keep him?
I would be happy to see Stuckmann given one more season either as back up or as number 1 but the fact that he was left out of the match day squad for the final game of the season doesn’t bode well.
Remi Matthews
Appearances: 9
Clean Sheets: 2
It was a puzzling decision by Darren Ferguson to cast aside the experienced Thorsten Stuckmann in favour of a 22 year old with a grand total of 1 league appearance to his name. Despite being a decent shot stopper, Matthews was never convincing and his terrible performance in a 2-2 draw at Rochdale was at least as damaging as anything that Stuckmann did.
Season Rating: 5/10
Should we keep him?
Matthews is still learning and could probably do a job in league 2 but it would have to be on loan again as Norwich are unlikely to want to lose a young goalkeeper.
Defenders
Mitchell Lund
Appearances: 37
Goals: 2
Academy product Lund was surely only ever supposed to be a stop gap. The fact that he has gone on to feature in 30+ games is a testament to how dramatically both Paul Dickov and Darren Ferguson have failed in their remit to have at least one capable player in each position.
Lund has improved slightly but is still shaky defensively as well offering little going forward.
Season Rating: 5/10
Should we keep him?
Even dropping down a league, Lund has a lot of improving to do but given how Rovers have struggled to find a decent full back in recent years, he has an opportunity to make the right back spot his own. Just about deserves a chance to prove his worth.
Andy Butler
Appearances: 47
Goals: 4
Whilst all around him have been emphatically losing their heads, Andy Butler has been a calming presence at the back. Butler has been let down by his clownish defensive counterparts and he is unlucky to find himself a League 2 footballer. Our best defender by a country mile.
Season Rating: 7/10
Should we keep him?
Make him captain, offer him a new contract, and give him the key to the city. Whatever it takes to keep Andy Butler at Doncaster Rovers next season is worth it. He will be vital to any promotion hopes Rovers harbour for next season.
Luke McCullough
Appearances: 36
Goals: 0
A supposed defender who can’t tackle, has terrible positioning and isn’t particularly strong in the air. The only surprise is that it has taken this long for someone to realize this man can no longer be allowed to play in defence.
Darren Ferguson moved McCullough into a holding midfield role and to be fair he has mostly excelled, salvaging an otherwise terrible season. Also possibly the worst right back I have ever seen. Let us never speak of that again.
Season Rating: 4/10
Should we keep him?
As a centre back? Absolutely not. As a ball playing deep lying midfielder? Probably. Still not the finished article but has a strong range of passing that could set him apart from other League 2 midfield players.
Craig Alcock
Appearances: 29
Goals: 0
You know it has been a bad season when a defender with more red cards than goals who didn’t even sign until November is voted as player of the year by local journalists. Having said that Alcock has been solid when utilized as a centre back alongside Butler and the two could form a formidable partnership at the back next season.
Season Rating: 6/10
Should we keep him?
Definitely. A 28 year old defender with bags of experience should not be sniffed at.
Aaron Taylor-Sinclair
Appearances: 49
Goals: 2
ATS has come in for a lot of stick this season and rightly so. Despite looking ok for about three games and coming with a decent pedigree, he has been shockingly unreliable to the point where I would say he is one of the worst left backs to have ever graced the Keepmoat Stadium. Definitely our worst player this season. Barely a footballer at times.
Season Rating: 2/10
Should we keep him?
Under no circumstances. ATS should be the first to go.
Cedric Evina
Appearances: 49
Goals: 1
Showed early season promise when played in a more advanced role by Paul Dickov but soon reverted to type when asked to do any kind of defending. Has a penchant for buffoonish individual errors.
Season Rating: 4/10
Should we keep him?
Evina has a go and is less responsible than others for our current predicament but he has only played for Rovers when they have been terrible and you get the feeling he is more part of the problem than the solution. Good luck to him but time to go.
Gary MacKenzie
Appearances: 20
Goals: 0
Not trusted by two different managers despite ongoing woes on the pitch.
Season Rating: 3/10
Should we keep him?
No. We shouldn’t have signed him in the first place actually.
James Horsfield – One of the many square pegs forced into the round hole shaped right back role. Very average.
Rob Jones – Always injured and getting on but he would have been a welcome influence during that 16 game winless run.
Midfielders
James Coppinger
Appearances: 44
Goals: 3
Mr Doncaster Rovers had a poor start to the season and was earning his starting berth on reputation alone in the opening weeks. The arrival of Darren Ferguson saw a drastic upturn in fortune for Copps. A injury saw him in and out of the side and the fact that he waour finest creative outlet in midfield probably says more about his peers than the man himself. Moments of brilliance, mostly solid but not consistent enough.
Season Rating: 6/10
Should we keep him?
Would be daft not to, even if it is someone to bring on as a different option against tired defenders. Shouldn’t be captain though. Was an odd choice to begin with.
Richard Chaplow
Appearances: 30
Goals: 2
As a player with premier league experience who once cost £1.5 million, much was expected from Richard Chaplow. What a disappointment. Apart from his winner against Barnsley and a couple of decent games the season has almost completely passed Chaplow by. His tally of 10 yellow cards in 30 games is his only meaningful contribution.
Season Rating: 3/10
Should we keep him?
Doesn’t seem to have the commitment or the ability to justify his wages. Get rid.
Harry Middleton
Appearances: 41
Goals: 0
As you would expect from young Harold Middleton he showed signs of great promise whilst also looking occasionally out of his depth. Overall a good breakthrough season and one of our better performers.
Season Rating: 6/10
Should we keep him?
Next season will be make or break for Middleton but he has earned his chance to prove himself.
Paul Keegan
Appearances: 18
Goals: 1
When Paul Keegan burst back into the side at the Pirelli Stadium with a free kick that took us all by surprise it felt like a turning point for the Irish midfielder. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be. Despite being touted as a potential captain and a leader, Keegan disappointingly went missing at the start of our rotten run before promptly getting injured.
Season Rating: 5/10
Should we keep him?
Will always be remembered fondly by Rovers fans for his robust style of play but simply can’t maintain his fitness. An unattractive trait for a club with a small budget. Thanks for the memories Keegs but time to go.
Richie Wellens
Appearances: 16
Goals: 0
Whether a disruptive influence or not it was a puzzling decision to allow both Rob Jones and Richie Wellens to leave a club so obviously lacking in leaders. Having said that Wellens looked past it and disinterested before leaving the club on loan.
Season Rating: 3/10
Conor Grant
Appearances: 22
Goals: 4
Looked like Alick Jeffrey, Colin Cramb and Lewis Guy all rolled into one in his first few games but was soon dragged down by the dross around him. As you would expect from one so young he went into hiding when Rovers lost form and it was no great loss when his injury forced a return to his parent club.
Season Rating: 6/10
Should we keep him?
Obviously there is no chance in us signing for us permanently but would be welcomed back with open arms in a loan deal.
Cameron Stewart
Appearances: 28
Goals: 4
Was never given a chance by Dickov and then didn’t fit into Ferguson’s wing back system. Stewart is obviously a talented player, shame he didn’t start more games.
Season Rating: 7/10
Should we keep him?
Would be unlikely to move into League 2 with anyone, never mind to reunite with a manager who never played him. Best for both parties to move on.
Tommy Rowe
Appearances: 10
Goals: 3
A touch of class in his brief loan spell. If we had signed him earlier instead of Lynden Gooch of Eddy Lecygne we could well have stayed up.
Season Rating: 8/10
Should we keep him?
After Butler, signing Rowe in some capacity should be our first priority. Seems unlikely but what a statement of intent it would be. Time for the board to show us some of this ambition they are always banging on about.
Eddy Lecygne – His single appearances cements his statement as a future quiz question.
Dany N’Guessan – The epitome of a shit lower league journeyman footballer. Kindly take your journey elsewhere next season.
Strikers
Nathan Tyson
Appearances: 36
Goals: 7
Last season’s player of the season never really got going this year barring a brief spell at the start of Fergie’s reign. Combined well with Andy Williams for a few games before they started playing like two people who had never lied eyes on each other before.
Season Rating: 6/10
Should we keep him?
Tough one. Looks he is staying following a contract renewal but could we do better than a 34 year old perma crock? Probably worth one more season based on desire alone. Also THAT hat trick against the Scunts…
Andy Williams
Appearances: 53
Goals: 16
Andy Williams season can be described in 3 words. Crap. Brilliant. Crap. Seems to offer nothing at all when not scoring and desperately needs to find some confidence from somewhere.
Season Rating: 6/10
Should we keep him?
100%. Could rip it up in League 2 if he finds his rhythm. Williams turns 30 in August and perhaps more than anyone else in this team he has something to prove. His shaky start at Doncaster Rovers will be forgotten if he fires us to promotion next season. No pressure…
Lynden Gooch – Never looked good enough. Pampered youth players from Premier League clubs are rarely the answer in a relegation battle.
Keshi Anderson – Oh what could have been. Come back soon Keshi.
Curtis Main – Had a brilliant season… for Oldham Athletic.